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Visual for the 2 deeps for wintering?

What should my 2 deeps(the frames specifically) consist of for over winter?....... Will they look the same(top and bottom box)?........ Should both deeps have frames open for clustering and then the stores on either side?.... Should the bottom deep be the only box not filled full with honey to allow for clustering?

I assumed the bottom deep of frames is mostly open with a few frames of stores and the top box should be all full of pollen and capped stores. Please correct me if I am wrong. If anyone has a picture or other visual to better explain, that helps me even more. Thanks, juzzerbee

Re: Visual for the 2 deeps for wintering?

hhhhhhhhhh
hheeeeeehh

Something like that. The bees will know how they want to set things up, but that is the basic idea. Honey storage in the top deep. In the bottom deep honey at the sides with clustering combs in the middle. How the amount of empty combs will vary.

Re: Visual for the 2 deeps for wintering?

Dan- Thnaks for that, it didn't take me long to decode your response, but at first it thought you replied with laughter! As of now my hives look to be setting up for the pattern that you suggested. If they are not to that pattern mostly, would you keep feeding them? I was feeding for the past 10 days, but stopped on 1 hive because it seemed like they had a lot stored. Also, is there usually a common area where the pollen will be stored or is it mixed in throughout the frames?

Since you are in my general area, and a bit north. Usually what time/when do your Queens start to slow down or stop laying for the winter? Have you seen a change yet this year? Thanks, juzzerbee

Re: Visual for the 2 deeps for wintering?

This is from The Hive and the Honeybee. I would estimate this colony has 50 pounds of stores. In Vermont, and probably Wisconsin, the bees need more than that. I leave a medium depth super full above what you see in the picture. You could feed them until they have enough, and still winter in two deeps.

Re: Visual for the 2 deeps for wintering?

Great illustration!

You want the top deep completely full this time of year, and in my hives the outer four frames in the bottom arel all honey -- it's warm here yet, and last time I looked a couple weeks ago there were still a couple frames of brood in the center of my hives. Couple empty frames in the bottom deep on each side of the brood, the mediums up top were all full on one hive and mostly on the other (it's been slow all summer, still feeding that one).

It's fine if there is nectar in the brood area this time of year so long as it's not completely filled, very likely there won't be much brood raising for the next couple months and stores there are a good thing -- the bees will use them up before it gets really cold.

If, that is, it gets really cold. Last winter was like October for three months!

Re: Visual for the 2 deeps for wintering?

Great illustration, thanks for taking the time to attach it. I will need to pick up yet another book I guess! As for my hives I think I will add the bucket feeders again. I was just concerned about them backfilling since the Queens took such a long vacation from laying. I hope everything works out here. Is it common that the bees WILL fill in the brood nest area with sugar syrup if they see that the Queen has begun laying again? I don't think that the level off bees/brood AND stores is to the level it needs to be for winter.

If the Queens are laying again since my Apiguard treatment, do I need to add pollen patties to give them a boost or hurry them along?

Also, since I am still wanting to find my Queens along with hopefully a few more eggs, where should I be finding the eggs to be at this time? In the top deep or the bottom deep? Thanks, juzzerbee

Re: Visual for the 2 deeps for wintering?

Originally Posted by pedrocr

My thoughts exactly. It seems this is enough of a classic that it's in the public domain now.

It seems I was mistaken as I don't see that illustration anywhere in Langstroth's book. Looking over at amazon there seem to be at least three other books with that name, one by Roy A Grout, another by H. D. Richardson and another by Dadant and Sons. Michael, could you tell us from which book did this illustration come from?

Re: Visual for the 2 deeps for wintering?

As I break down the illustration by looking at it, I have a few questions. The bottom deep does not seem to have much of anything in it. Would this illustration be for early, mid, or late winter? I assume that the top deep is just a, "reflection" of what the bottom deep once held.

The top deep of my hive is looking to be on the correct track, but my bottom deep does not have much of anything in it other than a few frames of stored honey/syrup. I assume that the bottom deep should not be empty of stores or brood at this time of the year, although the illustration above shows the bottom to be mostly empty as well. Thanks, juzzerbee

Re: Visual for the 2 deeps for wintering?

Originally Posted by pedrocr

It seems I was mistaken as I don't see that illustration anywhere in Langstroth's book. Looking over at amazon there seem to be at least three other books with that name, one by Roy A Grout, another by H. D. Richardson and another by Dadant and Sons. Michael, could you tell us from which book did this illustration come from?

Re: Visual for the 2 deeps for wintering?

Juzz.
You are full of questions, and that's as it should be - the money is in the details. The sketch is likely relevant for you in WI but not so for most of the country. Farrar's sketches were used by Furgala in the Dadant 'big book' - without credit. They were both in WI. I speak up because it's not what is normally seen in the southeast.

Farrar was a ruthless investigator. He killed colonies (didn't say how) and then dismantled them and reported what he saw. Reviewed it again overnight. Had no problem finding it in my copy - a Post It marked the pages for comment some day. Like today.

First off, we don't normally see the pollen band at the top. In our area there is normally good nectar availability all through the spring season. The top of the expanding broodnest is normally a thin band of liquid feed - thinned honey and/or nectar. Pollen is stored at the sides of the broodnest. However, we did see one season in 20 where there was a one-inch band of pollen at the top. Nectar was scarce in the swarm prep season, and colonies started backfilling the broodnest with pollen - or at least that was my interpretation of the abnormality. Farrar reported that the band of pollen was stored in the early season. Maybe you folks in WI always have a nectar shortage in the backfilling period of swarm preps. Will come back to this after my village run.

Re: Visual for the 2 deeps for wintering?

A second item where what I see differs from the sketch is the open cell area for "clustering." Had seen that reference many times in northern literature, and wondered what was meant. Locally, the bees will completely fill the broodnest with nectar when conditions support it. If they have reared their full compliment of wintering bees and field nectar is still available, they leave no empty cells. In our milder winter, they have no trouble maintaining cluster temperature with the cells filled. Consuming the underfoot nectar in early winter for heating fuel makes empty cells for mid winter brood.

Genetic variation and irregular seasonal flows make for several different brood/stores layouts in early fall. We'll mention a few. In all the below, the colony survives our mild winter, but some may emerge from winter not at full strength. We will just treat the double deep.

The norm: Overwintered in bottom deep. Top deep capped honey.
Come spring expansion, broodnest expands into 1/2 the upper deep. Backfilling of swarm preps reduces the broodnest back to the lower deep. At mainflow, the upper deep nectar is capped. The broodnest remains in the lower deep for the rest of the season and they will winter as they did the previous season.

Other 1: Configuration same overwinter.
For whatever reason, during the spring flow, the broodnest shifts into the upper and the lower is largely abandoned, except for outside frames of capped honey and often frames of pollen. The broodnest remains in upper for the rest of the season. We suspect this condition is caused by some irregularity in the flow pattern that season. The 2 seasons that we have seen this happen, nearly half the colonies exibited the anomaly.

Other 2: Same starting point in spring.
All spring, summer, and early fall same as the norm above, except for backfilling the broodnest during closeout. Not enough nectar in the field to backfill the broodnest during the closeout process. About first freeze, the colony finding itself clustered over empty comb relocates into the upper on solid capped honey. If fed generously by some quick method, the colony can be induced to relocate back down into the lower deep prepared for winter. Note that we are not normally looking in colonies at that point in the season,
but I go out of my way to monitor backfilling during closeout, and feed if necessary.

Since a single deep of stores will sustain a colony in winter here, niether of those conditions will kill a colony here. But what about Yankeeland?

Re: Visual for the 2 deeps for wintering?

I too am new to beekeeping and observing a hive this time of year. I am in NYC and I went to take some honey from my top box of four medium boxes and found mostly brood. My hive looks like the picture except I have brood right up to the top. This is probably because I just took off a super. I guess I am concerned they they will not be able access the honey in the hive if their instinct is to move up. My bottom box is virtually empty but I am getting mixed advice about whether to move it to the top. Will the bees reduce the brood and make room for honey on their own?

Re: Visual for the 2 deeps for wintering?

>>wcubed;854766
You are full of questions, and that's as it should be - the money is in the details. The sketch is likely relevant for you in WI but not so for most of the country. Farrar's sketches were used by Furgala in the Dadant 'big book' - without credit. They were both in WI. I speak up because it's not what is normally seen in the southeast.

I can't speak for the Southeast Walt, but for those wintering in the north, where we actually have a winter, The picture is exactly as I find it...although I would have a medium of honey above the double deep.

First off, we don't normally see the pollen band at the top.

Have you ever extracted the top box of a broodnest? I have. Full of pollen, placed there under honey, and ready for late winte/early spring brood rearing

>>In our area there is normally good nectar availability all through the spring season. The top of the expanding broodnest is normally a thin band of liquid feed - thinned honey and/or nectar. Pollen is stored at the sides of the broodnest. However, we did see one season in 20 where there was a one-inch band of pollen at the top. Nectar was scarce in the swarm prep season, and colonies started backfilling the broodnest with pollen - or at least that was my interpretation of the abnormality. Farrar reported that the band of pollen was stored in the early season. Maybe you folks in WI always have a nectar shortage in the backfilling period of swarm preps. Will come back to this after my village run.

The picture is of a cluster raedy for winter...not a cluster expanding in the spring. I believe that pollen is stored there as broodrearing moves down to a lower box...caused by the incoming fall flow.

Re: Visual for the 2 deeps for wintering?

>>A second item where what I see differs from the sketch is the open cell area for "clustering." Had seen that reference many times in northern literature, and wondered what was meant. Locally, the bees will completely fill the broodnest with nectar when conditions support it. If they have reared their full compliment of wintering bees and field nectar is still available, they leave no empty cells. In our milder winter, they have no trouble maintaining cluster temperature with the cells filled. Consuming the underfoot nectar in early winter for heating fuel makes empty cells for mid winter brood.

Well, again. You don't have the winter we do in the north. Temperatures below zero for long periods...20-30 below some nights. The bees winter with that "clustering space" so they can regulate the temperature in the core of the broodnest. If you took apart a hive here in the winter, you would see that clustering space. When a colony dies from starvastion, where are the bees? Their stuck head first in cells. Did they enter those cells with the thought...this is a good place to die? No, they entered those cells to boost the temperature of the broodnest in an attempt to survive. Well that's the normal thing they do.

>>Genetic variation and irregular seasonal flows make for several different brood/stores layouts in early fall. We'll mention a few. In all the below, the colony survives our mild winter, but some may emerge from winter not at full strength. We will just treat the double deep.

Well of course. Bees do it every way...hence...ask two beekeepers a question and you get three opinions.

>>The norm: Overwintered in bottom deep. Top deep capped honey.
Come spring expansion, broodnest expands into 1/2 the upper deep. Backfilling of swarm preps reduces the broodnest back to the lower deep. At mainflow, the upper deep nectar is capped. The broodnest remains in the lower deep for the rest of the season and they will winter as they did the previous season.

Here, the bees continue their upward expansion, consuming almost all the honey above, and turning it into brood. By that time in April, I add supers so the bees can continue their upward expansion.

>>Other 1: Configuration same overwinter.
For whatever reason, during the spring flow, the broodnest shifts into the upper and the lower is largely abandoned, except for outside frames of capped honey and often frames of pollen. The broodnest remains in upper for the rest of the season. We suspect this condition is caused by some irregularity in the flow pattern that season. The 2 seasons that we have seen this happen, nearly half the colonies exibited the anomaly.

No irregularity if you ask me...juse that different colonies perform differently...see your comment about genetics.

>>Other 2: Same starting point in spring.
All spring, summer, and early fall same as the norm above, except for backfilling the broodnest during closeout. Not enough nectar in the field to backfill the broodnest during the closeout process. About first freeze, the colony finding itself clustered over empty comb relocates into the upper on solid capped honey. If fed generously by some quick method, the colony can be induced to relocate back down into the lower deep prepared for winter. Note that we are not normally looking in colonies at that point in the season,
but I go out of my way to monitor backfilling during closeout, and feed if necessary.

Yes, if there isn't the flow, the bees will be located in the top. Heavy feeding will obviousl force the bees down. But the colony will still look as the picture relates. The cluster will set up their broodnest the same, just be located lower in the hive. As would one of mine with a super of honey above. Still looks the same.

>>Since a single deep of stores will sustain a colony in winter here, niether of those conditions will kill a colony here. But what about Yankeeland?

Walt
Always radical

Yankee Land?? You mean NYC and the Yankees? Come on Walt, we're all one here.

Re: Visual for the 2 deeps for wintering?

Juzzerbee. Check the weather forecast before you get the bucket feeders out again. Once the temps start to dip to below 50 degrees they quit taking the syrup. If you are uncertain that there are enough stores to make it to spring you still have options; You could make candy boards, or use the "Mountain Camp" method of dumping granulated sugar on newspaper above the cluster.

Re: Visual for the 2 deeps for wintering?

Wow! That is a lot of information to pull in. I think I got many parts but will probably re-read a few more times to "store" it all in my brain. I also need to get another book, I guess.
I feel connected to the two individuals you spoke of since they were both from Wisconsin.

So......what time or year or "stage" is the illustration from? Sorry I don't process what I read as clearly as others, I may have missed it.

YANKEELAND......Yeehaw!!!!!!! I like to call it God's Country!!! Hunt, Fish, Bees, and Beer!!I enjoy the humor, I get too concentrated on this bee stuff, it's good to be able to joke with each other. Maybe not a joke......er....ah.....Go Yankees!!! Thanks, juzzerbee